Today, Barcelona could be in the Women’s Champions League final for the fourth time in five years. The Blaugrana are trying to win their second European title in their history.
Barca did not have an easy time getting to the big game in Eindhoven. In the semi-finals, Chelsea almost beat Jonatan Giráldez’s team by surprise, especially in the second game at the Camp Nou. But the Catalans’ experience with big European games gave them the edge over West London, and the 2021 winners now have a chance to forget that they lost to Lyon in the final last year.
At Philips Stadion, Barca will play a top team in the women’s game in Europe. Wolfsburg, a German team that beat Arsenal to get to the final four, is trying to win their third title in an event that has changed a lot over the years and has been won by eight different clubs.
How did the Women’s Champions League come to be?
At a meeting of UEFA’s executive committee on May 23, 2000, in Paris, the Women’s Champions League was created. When it started, it was called the UEFA Women’s Cup. The first season was in 2001/02, and it was won by FFC Frankfurt, which is now Eintracht Frankfurt.
After Frankfurt won the title in a single-game final in 2001/02, the final was a two-game tie for the next seven years. In 2009/10, it went back to its original format. This was also the first season for the Women’s Champions League, which replaced the Women’s Cup.
Even though Swedish football was a big force in the early years of the competition, with Umea IK winning back-to-back European titles in 2003 and 2004, Germany is the country with the most European titles. Nine times, teams from the country have won the Women’s Cup or Champions League. France is one behind because Lyon has won all of its titles.
Who has won the Women’s Champions League the most?
Lyon is the most successful club in the history of the Women’s Cup/Women’s Champions League. They have won eight European titles. Five of those trophies were won in back-to-back seasons, from 2015/16 to 2019/20. Les Lyonnais are also the current European winners. They beat Barcelona 3-1 in Turin last year to win the title.
Frankfurt has won four titles, which is second only to Lyon. Umea, Wolfsburg, and Turbine Potsdam have each won two titles. Arsenal, Duisburg, and Barcelona have all won once.
Every Women’s Champions League final and the winner of each one
Season | Winner | Runner-up |
2001/02 | Frankfurt (Germany) | Umea (Sweden) |
2002/03 | Umea (Sweden) | Fortuna (Denmark) |
2003/04 | Umea (Sweden) | Fortuna (Denmark) |
2004/05 | Potsdam (Germany) | Djurgarden (Sweden) |
2005/06 | Potsdam (Germany) | Potsdam (Germany) |
2006/07 | Arsenal (England) | Umea (Sweden) |
2007/08 | Frankfurt (Germany) | Umea (Sweden) |
2008/09 | Duisburg (Germany) | Zvezda-2005 (Russia) |
2009/10 (rebranded as UWCL) | Potsdam (Germany) | Lyon (France) |
2010/11 | Lyon (France) | Potsdam (Germany) |
2011/12 | Lyon (France) | Frankfurt (Germany) |
2012/13 | Wolfsburg (Germany) | Lyon (France) |
2013/14 | Wolfsburg (Germany) | Tyreso (Sweden) |
2014/15 | Wolfsburg (Germany) | PSG (France) |
2015/16 | Frankfurt (Germany) | Wolfsburg (Germany |
2016/17 | Lyon (France) | PSG (France) |
2017/18 | Lyon (France) | Wolfsburg (Germany) |
2018/19 | Lyon (France) | Barcelona (Spain) |
2019/20 | Lyon (France) | Wolfsburg (Germany) |
2020/21 | Barcelona (Spain) | Chelsea (England) |
2021/22 | Lyon (France) | Barcelona (Spain) |